Supply and takeup system for film and the like

ABSTRACT

A reel system for film and the like includes a pair of film plates or disks mounted on respective horizontal arms of an upright support carrying a pair of turntables drivable by respective electric motors. A payout device is fixed in the middle of one of the disks to controlledly draw the film continuously from the interior of the coil and/or to coil the film on the external periphery of the other disk.

United States Patent Burth 51 May 9,1972

[54] SUPPLY AND TAKEUP SYSTEM FOR FILM AND THE LIKE [72] lnventor: Willi Burth, Kaufmannein, Marienplatz 4,

Ravensburg, Germany 221 Filed: Nov. 5, 1969 21 Appl.No.: 874,334

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data Oct. 18, 1969 Germany ..P 19 52 592.9

US. Cl. ..242/55.l9 R ..B65h 17/48 Field ol'Search ..242/55.18, 55.19 R, 55.19A,

156] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,731,490 10/1929 Gottschau ..242/55.18

2,094,922 10/ l 937 John ..,.242/55. 18

2,272,413 2/1942 Links et a1. ....242/55.19 R

2,490,771 12/1949 Begun .242/55.19 R X 2,706,629 4/1955 Cailliot ..242/55.l9 R

FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLlCATlONS 321,551 6/1920 Germany ..242/55.l8

344,350 2/1931 Great Britain ..242/55.19 R

Primary Examiner-Billy S. Taylor Attorney-Karl F. Ross 57 ABSTRACT A reel system for film and the like includes a pair of film plates or disks mounted on respective horizontal arms of an upright support carrying a pair of turntables drivable by respective electric motors. A- payout device is fixed in the middle of one of the disks to controlledly draw the film continuously from the interior of the coil and/or to coil the film on the external periphery of the other disk.

7 Claims, 10 Drawing Figures P'ATENTEDIW 9 1972 SHEET 1 [1F 5 Fig.1

Willi Burfh In vemor.

Attorney PATENTEBMAY 9 I972 SHEET 2 0F 5 Fig 7 Willi Burfh Invenfor.

Ross

v zttorney PATENTEDMAY 9 I972 SHEET 3 BF 5 Willi Burf'h lnvenfor.

PATENTEDMAY '9 I972 SHEET 5 OF '5 G) cow e01.

O O O O SUITCH BOX GOOD DRIVE HOTOBS Willi Bur W? I N VEN TOR Attorney SENSITIVE SUIKHES FIELD OF TI-IE INVENTION My present invention relates to a film supply and takeup system for motion-picture or other form of presentation and, in general, for any system in which a continuous film, band, foil or tape is drawn from a supply coil and returned to a coiled condition after use or processing.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION In motion-picture theaters and display systems for commercial and noncommercial purposes and in other arrangements in which a substantially continuous film, band or tape is to be drawn from a supply coil, used for projecting images upon a screen or displaying images in some other fashion, and thereafter returned to a coiled condition preparatorily to reuse, it has heretofore been the general practice to provide a double-reel system in which the film is drawn from the periphery of the supply reel, passed through a motion-picture projector, and recoiled progressively outwardly upon a takeup reel.

This system has numerous disadvantages, including the need for a rewind step by which the film on the takeup reel is replaced by reversal of its direction of movementupon the supply reel. The need for a rewind step arises from the fact that the beginning of the film must lie on the external periphery of the supply reel from which the film is originally drawn, but the takeup reel receives the film in the opposite order whereby the end lies upon the external periphery. Hence to prepare the film for reuse, it is customary to provide a rewind step in the film-display system.

A further disadvantage of earlier systems is that they are generally unsatisfactory for providing substantially uninterrupted display of long-duration presentations requiring several reels of film. The reel-changing procedure of conventional motion-picture apparatus necessitates an interruption at the end of one reel which may be accompanied by a prolonged delay as the first portion of the film is rewound. To minimize these disadvantages in the earlier systems, it has been necessary to provide two or more projectors, each fully equipped with a set ofreels, and means (such as marks on an initial portion of the film) for indicating to an operator or some automatic device impending termination of the first part. At an appropriate time, the first projector is cut off and the second projector started, hopefully without interruption or with a minimum of such interruption. 7

Yet another disadvantage of conventional film-display systems is that they are incapable of preventing adhesion between turns of the film strip when numerous film segments are spliced together with the aid of adhesives or other bonding agents; thus it is not uncommon for successive turns of a film in contact with spliced zones to adhere to adjacent turns. As a result, the separation of the turns from one another is discontinuous or sporadic with consequent interruptions of the presentation and possibly even damage to the film. Another source of adhesive attachment of one turn to another is the electrostatic effect frequently encountered with films and especially significant because of the large surface area, low electrical conductivity and repeated high-rate displacement of the film in frictional environments. Electrostatic charge may build up at the surfaces of the film to a point that successive turns are not readily separable from one another by conventional reel systems. Moreover, even high-moisture conditions prevalent in the environment of a film projector, or in the atmosphere at which the film is stored, may contribute to the adhesive-type bonding of one turn of the film strip to an adjacent turn.

Finally, a disadvantage of conventional systems also resides in the fact that the peripheral withdrawal of a continuous film strip from the periphery of a coil, with the supply reel retarded by friction or the like, gives rise to sliding friction at the interface between the turns of the coil and between the unwinding strip and the remainder of the supply on the reel. Such frictional contact may result in damage to the emulsion surface of the film, this damage being enhanced by withdrawal systems in which the film is led between a pair of pressure rollers or the like to the framing and projector portions of the apparatus.

OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION It is, therefore, the principal object of the present invention to provide an improved reel system for motion pictures and the like wherein the aforementioned disadvantages are avoided.

A more specific object of the invention is to provide a device or system for the withdrawal of a film band from a film coil, and for reforming the coil after projection of the film, which minimizes frictional deterioration of the image-carrying or emulsion surface of the film.

Another object of the instant invention is to provide a film supply and takeup arrangement wherein the effects of adhesivity from any of the sources mentioned above can be minimized.

It is a further object of my invention to provide an improved motion-picture projector system with a film supply and takeup arrangement affording rapid interchange of the supply coils, uniform supply and takeup of the film and total elimination of a separate rewind step.

It is also an object of my invention to provide a film supply and takeup arrangement for the purposes described which will minimize the danger of tearing of the film.

. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The reel arrangement for motion-picture film and the like according to the present invention accomplishes the aforementioned objects by providing supply and takeup devices in the form of horizontal disks or coil plates, preferably disposed one above the other, rotatably mounted upon horizontal arms extending from a common vertical support. In the center of one of these plates, I provide a film pay-out mechanism adapted to draw the band from the supply coil along its inner periphery, i.e., progressively outwardly, and feed the band to a projector via suitable deflecting and guide rollers, the pay-out mechanism being fixed at the center of the disk which, according to the invention, may be rotated by a drive motor or permitted to rotate in accordance with the rate of withdrawal of the band. At the other plate, the returning band is coiled progressively outwardly by applying the band along the exterior of the fonning coil, the takeup coil plate being rotated essentially in the same sense as the supply plate.

According to a specific feature of this invention, the plate confines the film coil at only one side, i.e., the film coil of the supply or takeup plate or disk rests upon the plate which lies along only one of the broad sides of the flat coil, by contrast with prior-art reels which confine the coil between two side members. Furthermore, a hub ring which may be provided to permit the takeup coil to be wound upon the takeup plate can be removed to permit access to the inner end of the film when the latter is to be drawn through the projector to constitute the supply reel therefor. Hence the takeup and supply reels need not be moved, rewinding of the film is unnecessary and friction resulting from excessive confinement of the film coil is eliminated.

Still another feature of this invention resides in the provision of means for driving the supply coil at a rate proportional to the rate at which the film is payed off the inner periphery of the supply coil, thereby ensuring a minimum of relative movement between the withdrawing film band and the remainder of the coil. The reduced friction eliminates the possibility of tearing or damage to the image-carrying emulsion of the film. Moreover, it has been found to be advantageous to provide at the central pay-off device a sensing arrangement responsive to the tension upon the film as it leaves the inner periphery of the supply coil and/or to the position of the loop of this film as it passes from the coil to the pay-off device, the sensing means operating an electrical circuit which includes speed-regulating means for changing the angular velocity of the coil-carrying plate to maintain the tension and/or to maintain an optimum pay-off rate of the film.

At the take-up coil, according to this invention, a motor may also be provided to drive the takeup plate or disk which is temporarily provided with the ring-shaped core about which the takeup coil is wound. At least two coil-carrying plates are provided although best results are obtained when three generally radial horizontal arms are employed, each with its own friction-type drive for a turntable, carrying the coil plate and adapted to serve as the supply or the takeoff device. At each station, there is provided a central well into which the pay-ofi device may be inserted for interchangeable use of all of the stations as a supply unit. In the arms and on the pay-off device, I provide mating electrical contact means for connecting the sensing switches of the pay-off device with a speedcontrol mechanism and at the same time connecting that mechanism to the appropriate electric drive motor of the coil station. To change over a takeup station to a supply station, e.g., for repetition of the program or presentation, it is simply necessary to remove the winding hub or coil of the takeup coil and place it upon one of the other coil plates, remove the payoff device from the previous supply station and insert it into the well to the center of the coil of the previous takeup station, and proceed to thread the film through the projector, etc.

A further feature of the invention resides in the provision of a speed-controlling mechanism responsive to the radius of the coil so as to constitute a multiplier for the angular velocity in order to maintain the peripheral speed of the coils constant during film supply and film takeup. For example, as the inner periphery progresses outwardly on the supply coil for a given angular velocity of the coil-carrying plate, the peripheral speed will increase unless compensatory means are employed to maintain the peripheral speed and, therefore, the filmtransport speed constant. To this end, I provide for all of the coil-carrying plates a vertical rod disposed alongside the film plates and mounted upon the support or the arms for swinging movement, preferably about the common vertical axis of the film plates, to control the speed. The rod carries at each plate level a deflecting pulley or sprocket about which the film running to the corresponding takeup coil may pass to maintain the appropriate speed for a given film tension. The arm swingably supporting the rod is coupled with a rotary-speed control (variable autotransformer) whose function has been described earlier. The control system of the apparatus of the present invention includes a pushbutton unit which serves to enable switching of the film-plate motors and control of the speed thereof. The circuitry preferably permits the pushbutton assembly to connect the rotary-speed control of the rod selectively to the several motors. Furthermore, the plug-andjack arrangement of the pay-off device and its sensing means and the control system may be so connected that shifting the pay-off device from one well to another simultaneously connects the appropriate motor or motors in the electrical circuit.

According to still a further feature of this invention the upright support for carrying the film plates includes a column disposed outside the film plates and provided with a plurality of mutually parallel horizontal, vertically spaced arms whose ends are provided with the turntables and wells mentioned earlier and upon which the film-plate motors are mounted. The film plates themselves may be place upon and screwed down to the turntables while the column or post serves as a support for a number of guide rollers designed to lead the film to and withdraw the film from a projecting system. The post may, in turn, be mounted upon feet, preferably extending beneath the film plates.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more readily apparent from the following description, reference being made to the accompanying drawing in which:

FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic perspective view of the apparatus according to the invention, parts being removed for clarity;

FIG. 2 is a top perspective view, drawn to an enlarged scale, showing the pay-off device in its function as an adhesion-braking mechanism;

FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 2, but illustrating the parts in a position corresponding to excessive speed of the film plate;

FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 3 wherein, however, the device is shown as it is positioned when the rotary speed of the film disk is too low;

FIG. 5 is an elevational view of a guide roll of the pay-ofi" device;

FIG. 6 is a view of the sensing lever of this device according to a specific feature of this invention;

FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating how the apparatus of the present invention functions in combination with a projector;

FIG. 8 is an exploded diagrammatic cross section illustrating one form of connection between the pay-off mechanism and the well;

FIG. 9 is a view similar to FIG. 8, illustrating a modification; and

FIG. 10 is a diagram of the control system of the device.

SPECIFIC DESCRIPTION In FIG. 1 I show a film-supply and takeup apparatus for a projector P represented in diagrammatic form in FIG. 7 and designed for use in a motion-picture theater or the like.

The apparatus comprises a support 50 composed of a vertical column 51 carrying arms 52, 53 and 54 extending parallel to one another and located one above the other to lie in respective horizontal planes along a common vertical plane.

The base of the support 50 is constituted by a pair of legs 55 which diverge from one another away from the column directly below the arms 52, 53 and 54 so as to be substantially codirectional therewith.

The center of gravity of the unit preferably lies above the legs 55 which, along with the column 55, have feet and 81. Each of the arms 52, 53 and 54 is adapted to carry a respective film plate or disk 20, 30, 40, the plate 30 being shown in phantom lines so that the structure therebelow is more readily ascertainable.

In the system as illustrated in FIG. 1, the lower plate or disk 20 constitutes the supply plate and carries a supply 23 of film, the outer periphery of the reel or coil being represented at 23a while its inner periphery is shown at 23b. Only the bottom side of the coil 23 rests upon the disk 20, the upper side being untouched by any mechanical means.

The takeup plate 40 carries a takeup reel or coil 40a which is being wound upon a movable cylindrical ring-shaped hub or core 41 from the return stretch 25 of film as the plate 40 and the coil 40a are rotated in the direction of arrow B. From the drawing, it will be apparent that the payoff stretch 24 of film is drawn from the inner periphery 23b of the supply coil 23 while the return stretch 25 is fed to the outer periphery of the coil 400.

To carry out the film-transport process, at least two plates (e.g. 20 and 40) must be used at any time and with removal of, say, the intermediate plate 30. However, it is desirable to provide the further plate 30 to accommodate, for example, a further supply coil when film change-over is desired. In this case, plate 30 will carry the next supply coil and, as the last of film from coil 23 is delivered by the pay-off device A, that device is swiftly inserted into the plate 30 and the latter employed as the supply plate. Plate 20 may then be connected as the takeup plate for the fresh film while the remainder of the original film coils onto plate 40. However, when it is simply desired to rerun the program, plates 20 and 40 are functionally interchanged without changing the actual position of the coil, as will be apparent hereinafter, by a pushbutton on a switchbox 60.

The plates 20, 30 and 40 are fixed (e.g. by screws or a thread) to a turntable 31 rotatably carried at the end of each arm 52-54 but illustrated only for the arm 53. It will be understood that each of the arms 52-54 is formed with a corresponding turntable, well and drive arrangement. The turntable 31 is rotatably mounted on a bearing represented in dotdash lines at 310 on the arm and is frictionally engaged at its outer periphery by a drive disk 34 of a motor 33 bolted by an attachment plate 33a to the arm 53. The friction wheel 34 may be geared to a speed less than that of motor 33 and may be held against the turntable 31 by any conventional (e.g. spring) means desired.

The turntable 31 is rotatable about a cylindrical bushing 32a forming a well 32 in which the pay-out mechanism A can be fixed. While the pay-out device A is here shown to be mounted in the well of thesupply plate 20, it will be understood that it may be equally inserted into the wells of each of the other two plates which all have drive motors and well structures as described in connection with the plate 30.

Beneath the central support arm 53, I provide a radially extending swingable arm 37 which is pivoted on a pin 37b at, preferably, the common center of rotation or axis of the plates 20, 30 and 40. The arm 37 carries an arcuate rack 36 which is swingable with the arm and engages a pinion attached to the control shaft of an adjustable transformer (e.g., a variable auto-transformer) represented at 35. A spring 37a urges the bar 37 in the clockwise sense (as seen from above) corresponding to ,a relatively high angular velocity and low peripheral speed as will be apparent hereinafter. The arm 37, moreover, extends beyond the outline of the film plates 20, 30 and 40 and carries, at its free end, a vertical rod 38 extending the full height of the plate assembly. Freely rotatable on the rod 38 is a respective idler pulley 39a, 39b and 390 coplanar with the coil of film adapted to be carried by each plate 20, 30 and 40. The return stretch 25 of the film, shown as passing from the projection booth over a horizontal idler 25a located upon the column 51 close to the lowermost arm 52, bugs one of the pulleys 39a, 39b, 390 in running to the takeup plate. In the arrangement illustrated in FIG. 1, the film passes around the idler 390 before it meets the takeup coil 400. Each of the idlers 39a, 39b, 390 is associated with a respective fixed idler 25a, 25b and 25c mounted upon the post 51 in vertically spaced relationship with a horizontal axis of rotation. Each of the higher pulleys 25b and 25c is horizontally spaced from the stack of plates 20, 30 and 40 by a greater distance than the next-lower pulley of this set. The spring 374, of course, provides the necessary tension for the film stretch 25 and at the same time permits the rod 38 and the arm 37 to swing from their initial positions horizontally outwardly as the radius of the takeup coil 40a increases. The angular velocity of the takeup motor, to which Variac 35 is connected by switches in box 60, is adjusted accordingly.

As illustrated in FIG. 8, the pay-off device A is designed to be received in the well (here designated 132) of a hub member 132a of the respective turntable. To permit the fixed sensing device to be anchored effectively in the well, I may provide a bayonet coupling in the form of mutually interfitting bayonet formations 13212 and 1320 adapted to lock the payout device A in place when that device is inserted axially (arrow C) and then given a slight twist (arrow D). At the bottom of the device A, there are provided a plurality of electrical contacts 132d which, when the device A has been properly locked in the well, engage complementary contacts 132s to provide an electrical circuit for the sensing means of the payout device. Another form of coupling is represented in FIG. 9 in which member 232a, fixed to the arm 52, 53 or 54, has a well 232 within which a plurality of plug contacts 232e are provided for insertion into jack openings 232d in the base of the pay-out and sensing unit A.

The pay-out and sensing unit A or A is inserted within the well of the supply coil or plate as shown for the supply coil 23. The last or outermost turn of the film, constituting the end of the program, is represented at 26 in FIGS. 2-4.

An important feature of this invention resides in the use of the pay-out device to control the speed of the coil and thereby minimize stress and friction. This aspect of the invention is based upon my discovery that this may be achieved with a minimum of tension on the supply film or stretch by using the shape of the loop of film as it leaves the coil. Thus the unit A includes, as best seen in FIGS. 2-4, a lever 3 pivotally mounted at 2 upon the support plate 1 of the unit and swingable about this pivot while its free end extends slightly beyond the periphery of the plate 1. In FIGS. 24, the unit A is shown to be received in a well 22.

At its free end, the lever 3 carries a pair of pins 4 having at their extremities respective enlargements 5 designed to confine the film band. The gap between the enlargements of the pins may have a thickness several times the thickness of the film 24, thereby insuring that only the outer edges, formed with the sprocket holes of the film, will contact the pins while the remainder (carrying the image) stays out of contact with these elements; In this fashion it is possible to avoid damage to the photographic layer.

At the free end of the lever 3, I also provide a wire bail or loop 6 which extends substantially to both sides of the lever 3 in the horizontal direction and which has a center of curvature located at the center of the mounting plate 1 so that the wire 6 corresponds in curvature to the circumference of the mounting plate. The function of this wire guide is shown in FIG. 2; adhesively connected turns or film layers may be drawn off the inner periphery of the supply coil and are separated at the pins 4, the wire 6 serving to conduct electrostatic charges from the separated layers and restrict further adhesion.

As is also apparent from FIGS. 2-4, the support plate 1 carries three rotatable idler or deflecting rollers 10, 11 and 12, located to guide the film passing through the pins 4 in a loop. From the latter, the film is led to an inclined roller 13 affixed at 14 to the support plate so that the film may pass at a straight line to an associated idler 25d (FIG. 1) carried by the column 51. A plurality of such idlers are provided for the supply stretch 24 of the film as shown at 25d, 25e and 25f.

The length'of film 24 drawn from the inner periphery of the coil 23 passes substantially along the full length of the lever 3 and is deflected in the region of the pivotal axis 2 of this lever to the idler rolls 10, 11 and 12 in a sharp loop, preferably extending through an arc of about 270 or more. Thereafter the film is passed to the inclined idler 13 with the aid of which it is withdrawn from a center of the supply plate.

To guide the film 24, it has been found to be advantageous to provide means at least at the first pulley 10 and preferably at all the pulleys 1013 by means of which the film is retained against upward or downward movement along the body of the pulley. These pulleys may, therefore, be given the spoolshaped configuration shown in FIG. 5. Here the body of the pulley is shown to be mounted upon a shaft 10a and to have a cylindrical portion 10b widening into annular bulges 10c and 10d at the opposite axial ends of the body substantially at the sprocket holesof the film. A pair of disk-shaped shields 15 are fixed to the body and function as outwardly extending annular flanges to confine the film 24 against upward and downward movement. The shields 15 are rounded at their outer periphery as illustrated in FIG. 5. The lower shield 15 prevents the film from contacting the mounting plate 1 and thus reduces frictional damage.

The switching mechanism of the pay-out device A comprises a pair of sensitive switches 8, 9 (e.g., micro switches) which are carried by the plate 1 on opposite sides of a switch plate 7 upon the lever 3. A normal pay-off loop is shown in FIG. 2 and from this Figure it is also apparent that the lever 3 normally lies between the sensitive switches 8 and 9 without operating either of them. However, an increase in the rotary speed of the coil 23 beyond its normal level (FIG. 3) tends to carry the loop in the clockwise sense and bring the lever 3 into switch-actuating position with respect to the switch 9, thereby activating the latter to reduce the speed of the motor. Should the motor speed be reduced excessively, the loop trails behind (FIG. 4) and switch 8 is actuated by the oppositely swinging lever 3. The switch thus speeds up the coil-driving motor.

In FIG. 6, I have shown an arrangement for retaining the film 24 between the pins of an element such as the lever 3. In this case the pins 71 and 72 are shown to be cantilevered upon the lever 70 and to have free ends at the top between which the film may be inserted. A latch 75 is swingable to block withdrawal of the film in the direction of arrow F. A spring 76 biases the locking pawl 75 in the clockwise direction so that insertion of the film permits deflecting of the pawl inwardly to clear the inserted film. Once the film is inserted, pawl 75 swings back to its locked position against the free end 74 of the pins 72. In the system of FIGS. 1-5, by contrast, the film must be threaded between the pins 4.

From FIG. it can be seen that the sensitive switches 8 and 9 of the pay-out assembly A energize a rotary-speed controller 83 for the unwinding of the film which may be included in the switchbox 60 and may be provided with pushbuttons 84 as illustrated in FIG. 10. The regulator 83 may, of course, be constituted by a variable autotransformer (Variac) whose shaft is so driven by a servomotor that microswitches 8 and 9 operate the servomotor in opposite senses to a degree determined by the duration for which each of these switches is actuated. The corresponding motor 33, 33a or 33b is then operated accordingly. Removal of the pay-out device A from one well, and its insertion in another, connects the appropriate drive motor to the controller which, in turn, functionally switches the plates and the variable autotransformer 35 as mentioned earlier.

As can be seen from FIG. 7, the pay-out stretch 24 passes via sprockets 91 and 92 ahead of the lamp and condensing lens assembly 93 of the projector P whose objective lens is shown at 94. Subsequently, the film passes via sprockets 95-100 to the return stretch 25. After completion of the film showing and for preparation for the next showing, the unit A is removed from the plate and inserted in plate 40 in the event that no second unit A is available. The core 41 is then removed from coil 40a and placed upon plate 20, the appropriate button in the switchbox 60 is depressed and feed of the film from the new supply coil proceeds.

Iclaim:

1. An apparatus for the supply and takeup of film, comprismg a support;

a pair of generally horizontal coil-carrying disks mounted rotatably upon said support;

respective drive means coupled with said disks for rotating same;

a pay-out device received at the center of one of said disks for leading a film band from the inner periphery of a supply coil of film positioned on said one of said disks;

means for coiling returning film along the exterior of a takeup coil on the other of said disks; and

an arm swingable about the center of one of the disks and provided with idler pulleys each at the height of one of said disks for guiding returning film onto a coil adapted to be formed thereon.

2. The apparatus defined in claim 1, further comprising means engaging the returning film and shiftable thereby upon the coiling of the returning film on said takeup coil for controlling at least one ofsaid drive means, said other ofsaid disks being provided with a removable ring-shaped core about which said takeup coil is formed.

3. An apparatus for the supply and takeup of film, comprising a support;

a pair of generally horizontal coil-carrying disks mounted rotatably upon said support;

respective drive means coupled with said disks for rotating same;

a pay-out device received at the center of one of said disks for leading a film band from the inner periphery of a supply coil of film positioned on said one of said disks;

means for coiling returning film along the exterior of a takeup coil on the other of said disks;

pushbutton control means for functionally switching the drive means of each of said disks; and

means for interchangeably positioning said device at the center of any of said disks.

4. The apparatus defined in claim 3, further comprising an arm swingable about the center of one of the disks and provided with idler pulleys each at the height of one of said disks for guiding returning film onto a coil adapted to be formed thereon.

5. An apparatus for the supply and takeup of film, comprismg:

a support;

a pair of generally horizontal coil-carrying disks mounted rotatably upon said support;

respective drive means coupled with said disks for rotating same:

a pay-out device received at the center of one of said disks for leading a film band from the inner periphery of a supply coil of film positioned on said one of said disks;

means for coiling returning film along the exterior of a takeup coil on the other of said disks;

said support including:

an upright column and a base carrying said column, and a plurality of codirectionally extending vertically spaced horizontal arms each provided with one of said disks at the free end of the respective arm, said drive means including:

respective motors on said arms drivingly connected with said disks for rotating same,

a respective well formed in the center of each of said disks for receiving said device, and

means for mounting a core interchangeably on said disks for enabling a takeup coil to be formed thereon;

one of said disks being provided with a bar swingable about the center of rotation thereof and extending beyond the peripheries of said disks;

a vertical rod mounted on the free end of said bar and extending parallel to a common axis of said disks;

respective idler pulleys rotatably mounted on said rod at substantially the same level as each of said disks for deflecting the returning film to the coil adapted to be formed on the respective disk when it is used to take up the returning film; spring means biasing said bar to maintain the returning film under tension; and switch means for selectively controlling the functions of said disks.

6. The apparatus defined in claim 5 wherein three such arms and corresponding disks are provided one above another along said column, said bar being swingably mounted on the intermediate arm, said apparatus further comprising speedcontrol means selectively connectable with one of said motors through said switch means and operatively connected with said bar for controlllng said one of said motors in accordance with the displacement of said bar.

7. An apparatus for the supply and takeup of film, comprismg:

a support;

a pair of generally horizontal coil-carrying disks mounted rotatably upon said support;

respective drive means coupled with said disks for rotating same;

a pay-out device received at the center of one of said disks for leading a film band from the inner periphery of a supply coil of film positioned on said one of said disks;

means for coiling returning film along the exterior of a takeup coil on the other of said disks;

control means for functionally switching the drive means of each of said disks; and

means for interchangeably positioning said device at the centers of each of said disks. 

1. An apparatus for the supply and takeup of film, comprising a support; a pair of generally horizontal coil-carrying disks mounted rotatably upon said support; respective drive means coupled with said disks for rotating same; a pay-out device received at the center of one of said disks for leading a film band from the inner periphery of a supply coil of film positioned on said one of said disks; means for coiling returning film along the exterior of a takeup coil on the other of said disks; and an arm swingable about the center of one of the disks and provided with idler pulleys each at the height of one of said disks for guiding returning film onto a coil adapted to be formed thereon.
 2. The apparatus defined in claim 1, further comprising means engaging the returning film and shiftable thereby upon the coiling of the returning film on said takeup coil for controlling at least one of said drive means, said other of said disks being provided with a removable ring-shaped core about which said takeup coil is formed.
 3. An apparatus for the supply and takeup of film, comprising a support; a pair of generally horizontal coil-carrying disks mounted rotatably upon said support; respective drive means coupled with said disks for rotating same; a pay-out device received at the center of one of said disks for leading a film band from the inner periphery of a supply coil of film positioned on said one of said disks; means for coiling returning film along the exterior of a takeup coil on the other of said disks; pushbutton control means for functionally switching the drive means of each of said disks; and means for interchangeably positioning said device at the center of any of said disks.
 4. The apparatus defined in claim 3, further comprising an arm swingable about the center of one of the disks and provided with idler pulleys each at the height of one of said disks for guiding returning film onto a coil adapted to be formed thereon.
 5. An apparatus for the supply and takeup of film, comprising: a support; a pair of generally horizontal coil-carrying disks mounted rotatably upon said support; respective drive means coupled with said disks for rotating same: a pay-out device received at the center of one of said disks for leading a film band from the inner periphery of a supply coil of film positioned on said one of said disks; means for coiling returning film along the exterior of a takeup coil on the other of said disks; said support including: an upright column and a base carrying said column, and a plurality of codirectionally extending vertically spaced horizontal arms each provided with one of said disks at the free end of the respective arm, said drive means including: respective motors on said arms drivingly connected with said disks for rotating same, a respective well formed in the center of each of said disks for receiving said device, and means for mounting a core interchangeably on said disks for enabling a takeup coil to be formed thereon; one of said disks being provided with a bar swingable about the center of rotation thereof and extending beyond the peripheries of said disks; a vertical rod mounted on the free end of said bar and extending parallel to a common axis of said disks; respective Idler pulleys rotatably mounted on said rod at substantially the same level as each of said disks for deflecting the returning film to the coil adapted to be formed on the respective disk when it is used to take up the returning film; spring means biasing said bar to maintain the returning film under tension; and switch means for selectively controlling the functions of said disks.
 6. The apparatus defined in claim 5 wherein three such arms and corresponding disks are provided one above another along said column, said bar being swingably mounted on the intermediate arm, said apparatus further comprising speed-control means selectively connectable with one of said motors through said switch means and operatively connected with said bar for controlllng said one of said motors in accordance with the displacement of said bar.
 7. An apparatus for the supply and takeup of film, comprising: a support; a pair of generally horizontal coil-carrying disks mounted rotatably upon said support; respective drive means coupled with said disks for rotating same; a pay-out device received at the center of one of said disks for leading a film band from the inner periphery of a supply coil of film positioned on said one of said disks; means for coiling returning film along the exterior of a takeup coil on the other of said disks; control means for functionally switching the drive means of each of said disks; and means for interchangeably positioning said device at the centers of each of said disks. 